Tanner Mansell, a professional shark diver from Florida, just got a clean slate. He was granted a presidential pardon by Donald Trump, almost five years after he was accused of illegally freeing marine animals.
The unexpected news came while he was getting on a flight on May 28.
Mansell said, “We were really surprised to get the pardon, I was getting a call from my lawyer and I answered, and he says, ‘Well, I’ve got good news for you. You just got a full presidential pardon.’ I was speechless. I couldn’t even say thank you. I just soaked it in,”as per Fox news digital report.
Who is Tanner Mansell?
Mansell, 31, has spent most of his life in the ocean. According to his LinkedIn profile, he’s a licensed OUPV captain, PADI Divemaster, certified EFR/rescue diver, and NAUI freediver. He has over 20 years of ocean experience, including five years in shark photography and videography. He’s worked with Florida Shark Diving for four years, offering shark feeding, safety, and photography dives, and has led shark expeditions globally with DiscoverSharks.
But his career hit a roadblock in 2020. That summer, Mansell and boat captain John Moore Jr. came across a longline about three miles off Jupiter Inlet. The fishing line was tied to a buoy and hooked multiple sharks and a giant grouper. Believing it was illegal, the two men cut the line and freed the animals. They brought the line to shore and reported everything to state wildlife officials.
Charged with theft of government property
Despite being open about their actions, federal authorities charged them with theft of government property in maritime territory. In 2022, a jury found them guilty. They were ordered to pay over $3,300 in restitution. While they avoided jail, the conviction meant they lost certain civil rights including voting, gun ownership, and international travel, the latter being a major obstacle for Mansell’s conservation work.
“I’m just so grateful,” Mansell said. “I have said thank you every step of the way. Words can’t explain it. I’ve always considered myself a law-abiding citizen, somebody that doesn’t break the law and I respect law enforcement and commercial fishermen.”
Mansell said he truly believed they were helping, not hurting. He said, “In our mind, the entire time, we thought we were uncovering a crime rather than committing a crime.”
He added, “I just felt like my world came to a stop, my heart sank. We called [law enforcement], we did everything that we could. The judge made a comment, and he commended us for our dedication to [the environment]. He gave out what my lawyer said was probably the lowest sentence ever.”
Now, with the conviction officially wiped from his record, Mansell is hopeful again. His lawyer, Ian Goldstein, stood by him from the start.
“I can’t think of two individuals more deserving of a Presidential Pardon,” Goldstein said, adding that the entire situation was an “honest mistake” by two people trying to protect marine life.